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Personnel Policy of State and Public Administration

The foundation of governance consists of competent, reliable, result-oriented and motivated officials whose professionalism supports the harmonious development of the state.

The Ministry of Finance develops the public service and personnel policy, and coordinates the implementation of the latter.

The Public Administration and Public Service Department:

develops personnel and training policy, organises salary management;

strengthens the core values and ethics of public service;

develops public administration policy;

develops the cooperation networks of public service personnel and training managers;

promotes public service training and development activities;

gathers and analyses public service information and statistics;

promotes international cooperation in the area of the public service;

keeps a reserve of officials and maintains service records;

keeps the register of state and local government agencies.

The Ministry of Justice regulates legislation that concerns the public service, the Government Office hires and develops senior managers in the public service, and the Ministry of the Interior is responsible for matters related to local government service.

Public sector modernisation

Modernization of the Estonian public sector has taken place in a number of areas in recent years and will continue in the future. Read more here. (724.04 KB, PDF)

Public sector in numbers

At the end of 2017 there were in Estonia 26 812 officials, 21 618 of them worked in state and 5194 in local government agencies. All together in government sector worked 116 703 person.

In March 2015, the Council of Ethics for Officials approved new Code of Ethics for Officials (152.55 KB, PDF). The Code includes the set of ethical values and principles which a person excercising public authority has to follow. The Council of Ethics for Officials is responsible for supporting the implementation of the Code.

Civil Service Act entered into force on 1 April 2013. It updated the organisation of the public service in Estonia and stipulated the legal status of an official. The act paves the way for the emergence of a simple, clear and efficient system for the aprraisal of officials. The salary system is more transparent and fair, as it considers the employment market and the each persons responsibility and competitiveness. The Ministry of Finance is responsible for the implementation of the Civil Service Act.